Heart Over Sword

The atmosphere became tense, almost stilling the forest. The raven-haired elf did not lower his bow, his eyes trained on Evanna. Killian pulled on the brown-haired elf's long locks, making him hiss and squirm in his hold. Evanna released her breath and pulled her mask down.

"*He WILL kill him. My friend is ravenous. It has been years since he last fed properly,*" She warned, clutching her swords by her sides. 

The warrior's lips parted at her words.

"*You speak our tongue?*" He scrutinised Evanna's features behind the arrow aimed at her head. 

"*Please lower your bow. I have travelled from Lyvaria,*" Evanna replied calmly. She didn't know if that lie would work again, but it seemed to make him falter and lower his aim.

"*You have come far.." He tilted his head to the side, his gaze still full of suspicion. "I find it strange that an elf and a.." He glanced up at Killian, "vampire are travelling together. As you are on the Flori's land, I ask that you state your business.*"

"Can I kill them?" Killian asked.

"No," Evanna replied sternly. "*My friend is keen on killing you both, but I am more merciful. Let us pass without further disruption so we can be on our way or die by his hands. It is your choice, *" She threatened the raven haired-elf.

"*Release Wade, and we will leave.*" 

"I think that makes you, Wade?" Killian said in a sing-song voice before dropping him nonchalantly from the tree; he crash-landed not so elegantly for an elf and groaned in pain. Killian then hopped down and instantly grabbed the other elf by the throat, slamming him against the tree.

"Killian!" Evanna gasped and ran towards them. Killian was choking him, and Evanna tried to smack his hands away. "He said they'd leave!"

"You are so naïve. This is their land-"

"But you threatened to kill them both why-"

"They are the Flori! Did living in his palace make you forget? They'd rather protect the land and die than return with news of letting someone freely run around! Death threat or not made by a vampire," Killian hissed vehemently. 

"*La-dy E-vanna?*" 

Evanna looked at the elf, who was now struggling to breathe. Before she could reply, another shiver ran down her spine, and within the next second, the ground shook, and she was knocked to the ground by Killian in time for a pincer to slice through the tree behind the elf. The vampire was already gone, tackling the faceless creature to the ground.

Evanna reached for her swords and glanced at the brown-haired elf- Wade, who was still recovering from the vampire bite on the earth. A piercing shrill resounded in the forest, and she looked around to see Killian had punched the faceless creature away from them.

Evanna gaped at how strong he was; first, he tackled it, then punched it. She then frowned after seeing the dark-haired elf pull Wade to his feet and whisper to him, glancing in Evanna's direction and then Killian's. What was he planning? He knew who she was. 

She pushed off from the ground and started to jog in his direction, ignoring another screech and the sound of bones or possibly legs breaking. Killian enjoyed killing the beasts too much.

"Wait!" Evanna shouted after the dark-haired elf who climbed up a tree. She followed after him, mirroring his movements with ease, but after hopping onto another branch and swinging around a tree, the elf was gone as though he was a ghost and vanished in thin air. Evanna skidded to a stop and observed her surroundings; she wasn't paying attention because the warrior was agile, and she found it hard to keep up with him.

It made her wonder if Arawn was just as quick, and he slowed down his pace for her that time; she followed him through the trees of Direwood forest. Her back shivered again, and a wisp of wind blew across her face. 

"We need to keep moving. I have a feeling that elf will return to Arawn with my latest location. What happened to Wade?" She asked quietly, knowing already it was Killian behind her. 

"He ran off. It is a good thing I have excellent hearing. If you are still willing to offer me your blood, I can tell you what they said." Evanna could hear the smirk on his face and the charm in his voice. 

Evanna started walking along the wide tree branch, ignoring him. "Have you not had your fill this morning?" She queried, glancing in his direction and indeed seeing a smirk on his handsome features. She reached for her bag and threw it over her head before pulling her mask over her nose once more. Bringing her hand back down from her face, she halted after feeling Killian's hand wrapped around her wrist and raising it to his lips. 

"With you right here," He smelled her hand, "not nearly enough. Just one bite.. I'm so, so hungry.." He pouted and looked at her wide rounded eyes.

Evanna sighed, "I am sure their conversation was not that informative. We don't have time for this.." She faltered after seeing his adam's apple bobble from swallowing and parting his lips slightly, revealing his fangs. "Fine, but only a little bit of my blood."

Killian grinned triumphantly and gently pulled her sleeve down, parting his lips and bit into her skin. "Ack," She grimaced at the sharp pain that soon washed away with a warmth flooding her body. Evanna opened her eyes again, her cheeks heating that she lost herself for a moment there. Looking back at Killian, she watched as he gently pulled away with a satisfied sigh.

Evanna started to move her hand, but Killian's grip tightened, and she watched as he bit his tongue to the point it began to bleed, and he licked over her puncture wounds. A cold shiver flittered down her spine, and she watched as he pulled away, and the holes healed themselves, the skin unblemished.

"T-thanks," She stuttered and turned around again, ignoring the rising blood to her cheeks. 

"No, thank you, princess," Killian purred from behind her. "Oh, so Wade is to return to the human's camp, and Poldo, the one you chased after, is going to alert prince Arawn."

"The human camp?" She spun around, raising a brow. "Why are there humans here? And with two Florian elves? Did you manage to read their minds?"

"Oh yes, because I had the time to read their minds while tackling that creature.." He replied sarcastically, then smiled, "Of course, I did. Prince Arawn made an agreement with the kingdom of Dunhurst and Hatherland to enter the forest in search of you, and he left Wade and Poldo to help with any creatures like the faceless."

Evanna stilled, her eyes rounding at what the vampire said. Did Arawn know who she was now? The princess of Dunhurst. She shook her head; even if he did, she was out of his reach now, well, if she makes it out of Direwood soon. With those thoughts, she picked up the pace without responding to Killian. Luckily as she raced across the trees, she did not feel light-headed; the vampire kept to his word and seemed to have only taken a little of her blood. 

Did that really satisfy his cravings? She glanced at him; he seemed to effortlessly run and jump across the branches, his hair now tied back into a ponytail, revealing dangling earrings of two tiny ruby jewels that matched his eyes.

"Ahh!"